Book excerpt: It's easy to teach yourself Mandarin Chinese! Complete Mandarin Chinese: A Teach Yourself Guide provides you with a clear and comprehensive approach to Mandarin Chinese, so you can progress quickly from the basics to understanding, speaking, and writing Mandarin Chinese with confidence. Within each of the thematic chapters, important language structures are introduced through life-like dialogues.You'll learn grammar in a gradual manner so you won't be overwhelmed by this tricky subject. Exercises accompany the texts and reinforce learning in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This program also features current cultural information boxes that reflect recent changes in society. The accompanying audio CDs include audio exercises--performed by native speakers--that reinforce communicative skills.